Mini Greenhouse – Doing Something Good with Plastic

Plastik ist ein großes Problem für die Umwelt. Zu viel Plastik wird einfach achtlos weggeschmissen und schadet Pflanzen und Tieren. Wie wäre es also, mit Plastik zur Abwechslung auch mal etwas Gutes zu tun? Denn sinnlos wegschmeißen muss man das ungeliebte Material nicht.

Aus Weintraubenschale, Salatbecher und Trinkflasche lassen sich im Handumdrehen kleine Gewächshäuser basteln, die den Pflanzen gut tun, anstatt ihnen zu schaden. Und das sollte schließlich das Ziel eines jeden Pflanzenfreundes sein, oder?

Grape trays often come in plastic packaging. You might not know what these are really for, but now they have a purpose! To turn a grape tray into a mini greenhouse, fill it about halfway with seedling soil. Then, sow your seeds and water the tray thoroughly. The soil should be moist, but not soaking wet. Afterward, close the lid of the grape tray and place your mini greenhouse on a sunny windowsill.

If the bottom of your grape tray has drainage holes, you can place the mini greenhouse on a plate or in a shallow dish to prevent spills when watering. You can also label the tray with tape to keep track of what's growing where!

Plastic bottles are a huge problem, but instead of ending up as litter in the nearest park, they can be put to good use through recycling. Together with a flowerpot and seedling soil, old plastic bottles can be transformed into small mini greenhouses.

Here's how:
First, fill small flowerpots with seedling soil. Then, plant your seeds in the soil—the choice is entirely up to your personal taste. After watering them well, it's time for the bottles.

Using a utility knife, cut off the necks of the plastic bottles. Unscrew the caps, and then place the bottle necks, cut-edge down, onto the soil in the pots. You can tie a string around the bottle neck and label it with the plant names to keep track of what's growing where. Place your mini greenhouses in a sunny spot, and your young plants will thrive splendidly.

You can often buy pre-made salads at the supermarket. While this is convenient when you're in a hurry, they often come in plastic containers that are then thoughtlessly thrown away. To prevent this, you can repurpose these plastic containers into small mini greenhouses.

Here's how:
First, fill the containers about halfway with seedling soil and plant your seeds. Then, using a utility knife, cut small crosses into the lids of the plastic containers and fold back the edges to create small air holes. After watering your mini greenhouse well, place the lid on the container and move it to a bright spot where the seeds can germinate effectively.